Thursday, 20 Jul 2006
It’s official - spinning has the addictive power of crack. I’ve been busy spinning away - okay, I admit it, the spinning wheel has eaten virtually all of my knitting time (and for that matter, virtually all the time in which I have not been eating or sleeping.) The new wheel is a joy to use, and it’s certainly getting a workout. Here’s day one’s output, ordered first to latest from top to bottom:
Yes, it does all look like yarn barf, but look how much more even and how much thinner that yarn barf really is after a little practice! On day two I had a revelation - using a death grip on the roving = bad - and my spinning immediately got better. I spun two bobbins’ worth of singles and plied them together to make this bulky but surprisingly passable two-ply:
And here, much less artfully done, is some Lorna’s Laces top I spun up (badly) as well:
I have to say that the LL top, while fun to see spun up, was a bit of a PITA - I think it felted a little during the dyeing process, and on top of that it’s a very short stapled fiber. I just went to pick up our order the other day at the Lorna’s Laces factory, and given how hot the dyepots looked, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit! (Pity those people, my friends. It was 100 degrees plus outside with 70% humidity, and there they were standing over twelve dye pots in their unairconditioned environs. They suffer to make us such pretty yarn, I think.)
Finally, I gave into temptation and wound a little of the silk I had. Sure enough, it was easy as pie - spinning into a lovely dk/light worsted weight I will actually be able to use!
Needless to say, I’ve found a friend in my lovely little wheel.
More later (and, possibly even a return to knitting…)
July 20th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Congratulations on your first yarn. It will only get easier from here.
July 20th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
Yay! First yarn! The wheel is your friend!
The LL yarn actually looks like a lot of yarn you see for sale on etsy eh?
Yep, I can see your progress already. Good work! I was like that at first too, the spinnning ate all the knitting time. But now (6 months later) I’m feeling like I want to split my time between the two again.
Happy Spinning!
July 20th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
I love the “progression” pic, I can totally see it (even though I’m not a spinner!) :)
July 21st, 2006 at 12:05 am
You’re so creative. Beautiful wheel and 1st spun yarn.
July 21st, 2006 at 1:57 am
I agree, I can see the progression too. Not too bad for a day’s spinning!
July 21st, 2006 at 4:26 am
Must not even think of trying spinning, must not even think of trying spinning…
July 21st, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Great yarn, I love the chunky fluffiness of it!
July 21st, 2006 at 4:33 pm
WTG Purrl.. Getting better over time! It’s unfortunately very possible that the LL got a little felted in the dyeind process. I had that happen with some Columbia, you remember?
But just keep it up. You’re doing Great!!
July 21st, 2006 at 4:43 pm
Sexy sexy sexy yarn.
Who needs a degree in “textiles” when you have a wheel?
July 22nd, 2006 at 10:57 pm
yay! your yarn looks lovely. i CANNOT wait to have a wheel. and it’s so nice to have so much more output than drop spindling!
July 23rd, 2006 at 3:20 pm
Yay yarn! I love that Lorna’s top, it makes me want some ice cream. (And a wheel, which I have no room for *twitch*) :D
July 25th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
Wow - that’s really nice stuff - full of character and really nice colors.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
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